2012 Draft Prep: Busts to avoid on Draft Day

A big key to drafting your Fantasy team is finding the right value. It's why Average Draft Position is so important. We all want great players, but you have to find them in the appropriate spot.

For example, last year I listed Peyton Hillis as a bust. I didn't expect Hillis to struggle as much as he did, but I didn't want to draft him based on his ADP. He was drafted as the No. 14 running back in Round 3, but he finished No. 39 at his position in 2011.

You're going to see me reference the word "value" a lot about busts in the space below, but hear me out. Some of these players will perform well in 2012, but it's where you draft them this year that will determine if you got them with the right selection.

Cam Newton, QB, Panthers: I love Newton. I want him on all my Fantasy teams if possible. But there's no way I'm spending a first-round pick on him. There's too much risk involved for the second-year quarterback. We all know Newton was amazing last season in winning Rookie of the Year honors. He had 11 games with at least 22 Fantasy points and he combined for 4,700 total yards and 35 touchdowns. He had 14 rushing touchdowns, which will be difficult to duplicate, but he should cut down on his 23 turnovers. The reason he's on this list is because of where he's being drafted. If you can get Newton in the middle to the end of the second round or later then you're in great shape. But there are better running backs, receivers and maybe the two elite tight ends who should be drafted ahead of Newton coming into this year.My projection: 4,211 passing yards, 24 TDs, 13 INTs; 400 rushing yards, nine TDsMid-August ADP: 12th overallI'd take him: 20th overall

Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys: The good news for Romo is he's healthy heading into the season. We wish we could say the same thing about his receiving corps. Miles Austin (hamstring), Dez Bryant (knee) and Jason Witten (spleen) are all banged up, with Austin and Witten looking like potential bust candidates as well. The Dallas offensive line is also a mess, and the Cowboys lost Laurent Robinson in free agency to a big contract in Jacksonville. Now, Romo should still be considered a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback, but he should not be selected in Round 4. He's a safer pick in Round 5 or later, and I would take him after Matt Ryan, which isn't the case based on ADP. If Romo's ADP falls prior to your Draft Day he might turn into great value because eventually Austin, Bryant and Witten will get healthy -- or so we hope. But Romo's value in Round 4 is slightly high given all the quality quarterbacks coming into the year.My projection: 4,321 passing yards, 33 TDs, seven INTs, 66 rushing yards, one TDMid-August ADP: 45th overallI'd take him: 53rd overall

FREE Draft Kits!

Get everything you need to dominate on Draft Day in one convenient place with our Downloadable Draft Kit, complete with projections, rankings and outlooks for 2013!

Peyton Manning, QB, Broncos: Manning is another quarterback being drafted ahead of Ryan, which is a mistake. This isn't 2004 when Manning was the best quarterback in the NFL. He's coming back after sitting out for a season following multiple neck surgeries at 36 and playing with a new team for the first time in his career. Now, like Romo, he should present great value if he falls past Round 4 into Round 5 or later. But based on his value now, with the risk that one serious hit to his neck could end his career, he could end up hurting your team more than helping it. We all hope Manning can return at 100 percent, and we love his receiving corps with Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Jacob Tamme, but you need to draft a capable No. 2 quarterback (put Robert Griffin III, Ben Roethlisberger, Jay Cutler and Matt Schaub on your draft board) in case Manning goes down.My projection: 4,565 passing yards, 33 TDs, 12 INTs; 22 rushing yardsMid-August ADP: 46th overallI'd take him: 56th overall

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars: The positives for Jones-Drew are he should remain a workhorse, even with the emergence of Rashad Jennings, he led the NFL in rushing last year despite no offseason work and limited preseason action and has at least 1,600 total yards and seven touchdowns in each of the past three seasons. The negative for Jones-Drew is his holdout, and we all remember what happened to Chris Johnson last year. Jones-Drew also could be headed for a breakdown even if he reported on time since he has 954 carries since 2009, which is the most in the NFL. There's no reason to draft Jones-Drew in Round 1, and I wouldn't take him until Round 3. Of course, there's little chance he falls that far unless his holdout lasts right up until the regular season, and Jennings might present better value at No. 139 overall (Round 11). New coach Mike Mularkey said he will ease Jones-Drew back into action when he does report, so you might not get tremendous production early in the year from Jones-Drew depending on when he shows up.My projection: 1,355 rushing yards, seven TDs; 43 catches, 301 yards, one TDMid-August ADP: 11th overallI'd take him: 30th overall

Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings: The hope is Peterson is ready for Week 1 at 100 percent. The reality is Peterson might have rushed back too soon. He suffered a devastating knee injury in Week 16 last year when he tore multiple ligaments, and it's basically a miracle he's back on the field in training camp. But while Peterson has said his goal is to play Week 1, the Vikings seem to be taking a more cautious approach, which is smart. Peterson is definitely worth drafting in Round 3 if he falls that far, but Fantasy owners will reach for him based on name recognition and past production alone. He has double digits in touchdowns in all five years of his career, and prior to last season he never had fewer than 1,500 total yards. But he did all of that production on two good knees, and the Vikings have a capable backup in Toby Gerhart to handle the rushing duties while Peterson works his way back to full strength. Gamble on Peterson if you want in Round 2, but that's too steep a price to pay for a running back in his situation.My projection: 1,213 rushing yards, eight TDs; 34 catches, 312 yards, one TDMid-August ADP: 23rd overallI'd take him: 33rd overall

Check out our Fantasy Football podcast!

There is no better source for entertaining Fantasy advice than our Fantasy Football Today podcast. Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg and Adam Aizer will help you pass the time as you anticipate Draft Day 2014!

Michael Turner, RB, Falcons: Here's a basketball analogy I like to use for Turner. The Miami Heat were among the best fast-break teams in the NBA last season with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade running the floor. But imagine what they would look like if the near 300-pound Eddy Curry was their starting center? He would just slow things down, and that's what Turner could do to this high-powered passing attack with Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White. This isn't to suggest Turner is going to disappear. He'll fall into 1,100 rushing yards and double digits in touchdowns. But you'd rather draft him in Round 3 in standard leagues since he could struggle in Atlanta's new pass-happy offense with speedy Jacquizz Rodgers playing behind him. Keep in mind that last year we saw Turner struggle mightily in the second half of the season with only one 100-yard game and three touchdowns from Week 9-16. He's headed for a decline this year, and he's not someone you want to reach for in Round 2.My projection: 1,195 rushing yards, 11 TDs; nine catches, 80 yardsMid-August ADP: 24th overallI'd take him: 31st overall

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Bengals: Green-Ellis scored 24 touchdowns the past two years in New England, including 11 last season. But that was with one of the best offenses in the NFL. He struggled to run the ball for the Patriots in 2011 at just 3.7 yards per carry. What you have to assume is Green-Ellis will replace the production from the previous starter in Cincinnati, Cedric Benson, who ran for 1,143 yards and six touchdowns on 3.8 yards per carry. He had 134 Fantasy points last season, which ranked No. 23 at running back (two points ahead of Green-Ellis). He also had just six games with double digits in Fantasy points, and the Bengals aren't a great running team. Green-Ellis also is expected to share time with Bernard Scott, and he's dealt with a foot problem in training camp. Factor in four games against Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and Green-Ellis should remain just a plodder with little upside. He's someone you should settle for in Round 5 or later as a low-end No. 2/high-end No. 3 running back.My projection: 1,002 rushing yards, eight TDs; 14 catches, 98 yardsMid-August ADP: 53rd overallI'd take him: 59th overall

Wes Welker, WR, Patriots: Owners in PPR leagues should look away because Welker is definitely worth a second-round pick in those formats. He has at least 111 catches in four of the past five years, and he should be above 100 catches again. The concern for me with Welker is in standard leagues since his touchdown total last year (nine) will be hard to duplicate. The Patriots changed two things from last season in adding Brandon Lloyd and bringing back offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who has a more downfield attack. The last time Welker played for McDaniels was 2008 when he had 111 catches for 1,165 yards and three touchdowns. Welker is currently being drafted in Round 3, which isn't much of a stretch, but it's the receivers he's being selected ahead of that's a problem. I'd rather have Greg Jennings, Roddy White, A.J. Green and Jordy Nelson than Welker, even though he's in a contract year. The Patriots are loaded on offense, and the addition of Lloyd and McDaniels could hurt Welker.My projection: 111 catches, 1,395 yards, five TDsMid-August ADP: 26th overallI'd take him: 32nd overall

Mike Wallace, WR, Steelers: Holdouts don't do much for me, especially guys in a new offense. Wallace has yet to run a play for new offensive coordinator Todd Haley, and that could hurt him once he does report. On top of that, the Steelers made a significant commitment to Antonio Brown, which could leave Wallace in a sour mood, much like what happened to DeSean Jackson last year. Wallace also was a huge disappointment in the second half last season. He had just one game with double digits in Fantasy points after Week 9, and he didn't have 100 yards after Week 7. Brown looks like the better Fantasy receiver based on his value at No. 68 overall (Round 6), and I'm not sold on Roethlisberger having a great year with all his little ailments (torn rotator cuff and ankle). The later Wallace reports, the better his value could be if he lands in the right round, but you also run the risk of injury based on a lack of conditioning being away from his team all offseason.My projection: 68 catches, 1,184 yards, five TDsMid-August ADP: 51st overallI'd take him: 58th overall

Follow us, Like us, Join us

Want more? Join the discussion on our Facebook page and Google+ and follow us on Twitter for additional insight while interacting with a community geared toward Fantasy Football.

Vincent Jackson, WR, Buccaneers: Here's what worries me about Jackson: he got paid. I tend to stay away from players like Jackson who beg for a new contract and leave a team for big money elsewhere. Does he deserve to get paid? Absolutely. Does that mean he will succeed in his new home? Probably not. To give you an idea of some receivers who have left a good situation and not panned out look at Sidney Rice in Seattle, Santonio Holmes with the Jets and Anquan Boldin in Baltimore. All were better with their previous team, and the same could happen with Jackson. He gets a downgrade in quarterback from Philip Rivers to Freeman, and Jackson's production should decline. Jackson put up standout production for the Chargers, but he's been inconsistent. In 2011, Jackson had 60 catches for 1,106 yards and nine touchdowns. But he managed just six games with double digits in Fantasy points since five touchdowns came in two games. I don't see Jackson having many big games like that, and his production will tail off. Don't be surprised if he's more of a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this year than a guaranteed starter in all leagues.My projection: 68 catches, 1,122 yards, six TDsMid-August ADP: 66th overallI'd take him: 73rd overall

Jermichael Finley, TE, Packers: Finley is a solid tight end. I'm just not sure he's elite. He finished as a Top 5 tight end last year with 55 catches for 767 yards and eight touchdowns. But he made his season with his Week 3 performance against the Bears with seven catches for 85 yards and three touchdowns. That was 26 Fantasy points, but he averaged just 6.1 Fantasy points over his other 15 games. If you project that over a full season he had just 98 Fantasy points, which would have made him the No. 12 tight end. He also had just four games with double digits in Fantasy points, and last year was his first season playing 16 games. He's dealt with a concussion and a quad injury this preseason, and the Packers have a ton of targets to spread the ball around. I'd still draft Finley as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end, but I'm not sure I'd reach for him on Draft Day.My projection: 48 catches, 632 yards, seven TDsMid-August ADP: 65th overallI'd take him: 76th overall

“I’m just excited to get there and try and catch a lot of balls and help this team win,” Shorts III said in an interview with Texans Radio on Tuesday. “To pair up with (WR) D-Hop (DeAndre Hopkins) who had a great season last year and some other guys that played well as well. I’m just happy to get there and get things going.”

After spending his first four seasons with the Jaguars, Shorts is excited about the Texans' offense and the direction the team is headed in going into 2015.

“It feels good,” Shorts III said of joining the Texans. “This organization is definitely a franchise that’s very consistent with winning the last some-odd years. I think it was a great year last year being Bill O’Brien’s first year coming in going 9-7 and right in the playoff hunt and they’re just a franchise going in the right direction.”

The 27-year-old has racked up 176 receptions for 2,343 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career.

(4:35 pm ET)Broncos wide receiver Cody Latimer is ready to take on a bigger role in year two with the team, reports the team's offical website.

"I feel like I’m ready, especially coming in a new offense, everybody gets a clean slate so we’re all starting from Day 1, and it’ll be exciting," he said. "I get to work with Peyton coming up soon, so he’ll be able to get me more into the offense and getting my learning curve, taking it to the next level."

Latimer is preparing to work with Peyton and Eli Manning at their yearly workout session next week.

"It’s my first time there, so it should be fun. I know we’re going to be working, studying, probably watching film and running routes," Latimer said. "It’s a good connection. It’s an early head start, in other words, to something that should be great. So that’s what I’m looking forward to, getting our timing connection and probably learning off of him and maybe learning something of the offense and things like that."

Latimer is cognizant of the fact that the team expects big things from him this upcoming season.

"I know it’s a big opportunity and I’ve got to make that leap for myself and our organization. They expect big things out of me; they drafted me in the second round, they expect me to produce so I feel like I’ve got to own up to that and make it happen.”

(3:34 pm ET)If the Cowboys bring back linebacker Rolando McClain, then it is assumed linebacker Sean Lee will be moved to the weakside, per The Dallas Morning News. Lee missed the 2014 season due to a torn ACL.

“If it says ‘linebacker’ behind the position, I think he’s going to be okay,” Cowboys linebackers coach Matt Eberflus said of Lee. “I think that, like I said, we’ll tie all these guys together and see how they fit. And we’ll find the best position for them…. Sean’s uniqueness in his ability, like a few other guys that we’ve had, he’s able to play all positions. He can really play all positions. That’s what makes him a valuable asset to our defense. He will certainly be good once we get him there and get him going. He’s really super excited and so am I.”

Colts sign WR Vincent Brownby R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(3:33 pm ET)The Colts have signed wide receiver Vincent Brown, the team announced Tuesday.

Brown appeared in seven games with the Raiders last season, catching 12 passes for 118 yards. His best season came in 2013, when he made 12 starts and played all 16 games with the Chargers and racked up 472 yards and one touchdown on 41 receptions.

"Jason is an experienced player who adds more competition to the linebacker position and has also been a special teams ace," coach Ron Rivera said. "I expect him to come in and be a leader. Even though he is new to us, he's got veteran savvy to him."

Trusnik made six starts while playing all 16 games with the Dolphins in 2014, racking up 48 tackles and intercepting one pass.

"First, I want to earn respect from my new teammates and coaches," Trusnik said. "It's a new team and I have to earn that. I want to continue to be the leader that I've been in the past and make plays, whether that be on special teams or on defense."

Smith started all 16 games for the Raiders in 2014 but recorded just 20 tackles and three sacks. He was slated to count $4 million against the cap, and the team will carry no dead cap space after terminating his contract.

(2:18 pm ET)The Chiefs have just $2.8 million of cap space with the NFL draft less than one month away, and while the team needs to find a way to make more room beneath the camp, the Chiefs will not part ways with inside linebacker Derrick Johnson, the Kansas City Star reports.

"Derrick is obviously one of the greatest inside linebackers to ever play for the club and there are some pretty good ones, if you go back in time," team chairman Clark Hunt said. "In terms of the modern era of the Chiefs, it’s hard to think about the club without thinking about Derrick at inside linebacker. He’s a great leader, he’s a tremendous person, represents the club well on and off the field. We’re looking forward to having him back this year, hopefully good as new. You mentioned that his contract is up this year. There will be a point in time where we address that. But it just hasn’t been germane to this point."

Johnson missed last season due to a torn Achilles tendon and has a cap number of $5.2 million this season.